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Sunday, October 25, 2015

Flying to a Summer Land

The owner of the tenement which I have occupied for many years has given notice that he will furnish but little or nothing more for repairs. I am advised to be ready to move.

At first this was not a very welcome notice. The surroundings here are in many respects very pleasant, and were it not for the evidence of decay, I should consider the house good enough. But even a light wind causes it to tremble and totter, and all the braces are not sufficient to make it secure. So I am getting ready to move.

--Streams in the Desert

So I am getting ready to move. And though the pain of being separated from those we love seems unbearable, though the uncertainty and anxiety and fear and apprehension threaten to choke His joy from us, we know that to obey means to follow the One who leads.So I am getting ready to move. And we become attached to people, to places, to memories, to countries to cities, to cherished things.It is good that we cherish. Do not be fooled into thinking that it isn't. That because this life is temporal we should treat people, memories, traditions as less than what God created them to be -- cherished. The key is not to hold onto things so lightly that they fall into the cracks and become inconsequential. The key is to hand the cherished things back to God in surrender.And that is when we truly receive them: a gift. A gift of life that will echo eternally.

So I am getting ready to move.
This life is temporal. The places that we call home will not be forever. This truth hit me like a brick over the past several months. I am the kind of person who becomes attached to a certain way of doing things, to a particular chair, to a certain kind of food or exercise program and will stick to it for years and years and years.But an event in my life, a prompting of obedience from the Lord pressed this truth into my heart in a deeply personal way.It was painful. It was lonely. I knew His presence through the pain that I thought that I could not face.And I understood the truth of Elisabeth Elliot's words--Sometimes... fear does not subside and... one must choose to do it afraid.Obedience involves the pain of letting go of things that a person thought that they could not let go of. It involves clinging to the One who requires it. Obedience is the child of surrender, and the two walk hand-in-hand.

But in order to obey, we must realize that this life is not what we live for -- We live for another world, another home that will never be destroyed or worn down or taken from us.We live for a home whose Builder and Maker is God.And He is our home.

It is strange how quickly one's interest is transferred to the prospective home. I have been consulting maps of the new country and reading descriptions of its inhabitants. One who visited it has returned, and from him I learn that it is beautiful beyond description; language breaks down in attempting to tell of what he heard while there. He says that, in order to make an investment there, he has suffered the loss of all things that he owned here, and even rejoices in what others would call making a sacrifice. Another, whose love to me has been proven by the greatest possible test, is now there. He has sent me several clusters of the most delicious fruits. After tasting them, all food here seems insipid.

Two or three times I have been down by the border of the river that forms the boundary, and have wished myself among the company of those who were singing praises to the King on the other side. Many of my friends have moved there. Before leaving they spoke of my coming later. I have seen the smile upon their faces as they passed out of sight. Often I am asked to make some new investments here, but my answer in every case is, "I am getting ready to move."

--Streams in the Desert

A painful act of obedience to the One who leads will produce the fruits of righteousness. The fruit that clings to its hard casing will never be free to ripen in the sun of His love. We let go so that we may receive. We go, as the missionary David Livingstone spoke and lived, in the confidence that His Presence goes before us.

And if His Presence goes before us, fear is swallowed up in joy.

We leave homes, lands, possessions

For the possession of Him, Himself.

He is our home.

Our home is with Him. In that beautiful Summer-land of glory. Where every tear will be wiped away from our eyes and all the promises in Him are Yes.

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wifeor children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:29-30 NKJV

Oh, my! I so needed this right NOW! We are in a place of needing to release our wills and follow God's and His alone. Thank you for writing the words that God has given you for He knows I need them. I am a near neighbor at Jen's Unite tonight and here I am! I am praising Him.

This truth here..."The fruit that clings to its hard casing will never be free to ripen in the sun of His love." Last week, all week I prayed for Him to flood me with His light. In order to receive the light, I have to be willing to release the hard casing. Mmm. A tough truth but a necessary move. This post is a difficult read because it DEMANDS action. True disciples obey. Thank you friend for the courage to convey tough truth but in love. So so happy to have come over from #RARAlinkup

Tyra, yes; that is so true --that true disciples obey. It seems so "simple," and yet the daily working out of obedience is difficult and costly. But it yields such joy and peace. I was so blessed by your words. I pray that the Lord would work in and through us to yield completely to Him.

So sweet. :) "The key is to hand the cherished things back to God in surrender." Love that. Thanks for sharing. :) Happy to be neighboring you this morning on the Women with intention linkup. ((blessings))

I am comforted by the fact that I am not the only one who is facing a season of letting go. I found your blog on the Wedded Wednesday's link-up, and if you look for my post, you'll see it's on a similar topic as it relates to marriage. Trials In Marriage - Homesickness and Letting GoBlessings to you! And I am a huge fan of Lilias Trotter, so your headline caught my attention right away. Thank you for your beautiful blog.

Oh, you're welcome, Debi! I am glad that it was an encouragement to you! It is so nice to find a "kindred spirit" who loves Lilias Trotter, too! If you haven't already read it, Miriam Huffman Rockness has a wonderful autobiography of her life--truly beautiful --I think that Elisabeth Elliot endorsed it. I'm heading over now to read your post! :-)

Oh, dear friend! I was so touched when I saw that you included excerpts from Streams in the Desert! My dear mother read this book almost as much as she read her Bible. And my Papaw (her father) read it before her. Now both of them are gone on to glory, and this precious book rests on the table beside my living room recliner. It is truly the deepest, most spiritually-profound devotional I have ever read. I am so happy to see that you read it, too, and I trust it will continue to bless your dear heart. God bless you as you make adjustments in your life. It can be so hard, but He promised to carry us through. Sending you much love and big hugs, my friend. :)

Yes, Cheryl! It is truly a beautiful, grace-filled book. I am enjoying it so much! It seems like the Lord uses different devotionals at different times in our lives-this one has been been ministering to me in my present circumstances. I am grateful that you recommended it to me. What a beautiful, beautiful testimony of the way that it touched the lives of your mother and Grandfather; thank you for sharing that with me. I have my Mama's copy of My Utmost for His Highest, and I cherish it so much; these things are truly precious reminders of the Lord's Spirit working in the lives of those who have influenced us so greatly towards a closer walk with Him.

The Lord bless you, Cheryl; you are a dear sister in our precious Lord.

Beautiful post. Obedience. Perspective of home. hmm.. I will be looking up Streams in the desert, such beautiful words. I loved this, "The fruit that clings to its hard casing will never be free to ripen in the sun of His love." thank you for sharing. Be Blessed always. Misty

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